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Kajiro Kōgaku
Kajiro Kōgaku Kenkyūjo (上代光学研究所, Kajiro Optical Laboratory) was a Japanese optical company. It was founded in July 1939 by Kajiro Hitoshi (上代斉), who previously worked for Miyoshi Kōgaku. Inoue, p.131. The initials K.O.L. (for Kajiro Optical Laboratory) were adopted as the brand name of the lenses. K.O.L. is engraved in the lenses in handwritten style. The company became Gojō Kōki Seisakusho (五城光機製作所) in 1941, apparently building a new plant. Inoue, p.132. It is said that the old plant and brand names were transfered to Kokusaku Seikō, a camera maker which was already buying lenses for its Auto Keef model. However the relation between the two companies is not yet clearly understood: advertisements mention the two company names "K.O.L. Gojō Kōki Seisakusho" and "Kokusaku Seikō K.K." together, Advertisement reproduced in Inoue, p.132, and in Hagiya, p.179 of Sekai no Raika renzu; advertisement on p.6 of Nihon Shashin Kōgyō Tsūshin, February 15, 1944, reproduced on p.70 of Hyaku-gō goto jūkai no kiroku. and the April 1943 government inquiry on camera production attributes the K.O.L. lenses to Gojō (五城), Kokusaku (国策) or Tōa Kokusaku (abbreviated 東亜国) with no apparent logic. . The address of K.O.L. Gojō in 1944 was Yodobashi Shimo-ochiai 2–969 in Tokyo (東京・淀橋・下落合二ノ九六九), very close to that of Kokusaku. Advertisement on p.6 of Nihon Shashin Kōgyō Tsūshin, February 15, 1944, reproduced on p.70 of Hyaku-gō goto jūkai no kiroku. Activity stopped in 1945, but some time after the company Gojō Kōki was revived as Sun Kōki. Lenses K.O.L. range An advertisement for the K.O.L. lenses, mentioning both Gojō and Kokusaku, lists the following lenses: Advertisement reproduced in Inoue, p.132, and in Hagiya, p.179 of Sekai no Raika renzu. * K.O.L. Anastigmat f/4.5, 75mm; * K.O.L. Anastigmat f/3.5, 60mm and 75mm; * K.O.L. Sola f/3.5, 50mm and 75mm, four elements; * https://www.flickr.com/photos/59361781@N03/33381601798/in/dateposted-public/ * K.O.L. Gōka Inferred from the katakana ゴーカ. f/2.8, 60mm, 75mm and 80mm, four elements; * K.O.L. Xebec f/2, 50mm, six elements. The K.O.L. Xebec is a collapsible lens in Leica screw mount, and has six elements in four groups. It is said that a 50mm f/1.5 lens with seven elements in five groups was developed in 1943, but it was only used for X-ray photography. Other K.O.L. lens names are as follows: * K.O.L. Elmo 75mm f/3.5 (three elements) , lens item Lb29, attributed to Kokusaku. * K.O.L. Keef 60mm f/3.5 (three elements), , lens item Lb29, attributed to Tōa Kokusaku. on the Auto Keef * K.O.L. Nōman Trio 75mm f/3.5 (three elements), , lens item Lb30, attributed to Gojō. on the Nōman Flex * K.O.L. Special 75mm f/3.5 (three elements), on the Mamiya Six, models I and II * K.O.L. Trio 75mm f/3.5 (three elements) , lens item Lb7, attributed to Kokusaku. * K.O.L. Taro Anastigmat 7.5cm f/3.5, on the Taroflex Others Confirmed: * U Hitonar 75mm f/3.5 (three elements), by Kokusaku, , lens item Lb32, attributed to Kokusaku. on the Rollekonter * Kadera 75mm f/3.5 (three elements), by Gojō, , lens item Lb10, attributed to Gojō. on the Semi Kinka Probable: * Hitonar 75mm f/3.5 and f/4.5, on the Rollekonter, Semi Ace and Semi Miss * U Hitonar 75mm f/4.5, on the Semi Konter * Kadera 75mm f/4.5, on the Kadera and Semi Kinka Cameras equipped The following list is incomplete. That a particular model is listed should not be taken to mean that all examples were fitted with lenses made by Kajiro, Gojō or Kokusaku. * Elmoflex * Gaica II (K.O.L. Gaica) * Auto Keef (K.O.L. Keef 60/3.5) * Kadera (Kadera 75/4.5) * Semi Kinka (Kadera 75/3.5 and 75/4.5) * Semi Konter (Hitonar 75/3.5 and 75/4.5, U Hitonar 75/4.5) * Semi Kreis (K.O.L. Special and K.O.L. Trio) * Semi Kreis II and III (K.O.L. Trio) * Lark (K.O.L. Trio) * Mamiya Six (K.O.L. Trio, then K.O.L. Special, then K.O.L. Sola) Chronological order: Inoue, p.132. * Semi Miss (Hitonar 75/3.5 and 75/4.5) * Nōman Flex (K.O.L. Nōman Trio or perhaps K.O.L. Nōman Trion) * Rollekonter (Hitonar 75/3.5 and 75/4.5, U Hitonar 75/3.5) * Semi Rosen III (Keef 75/4.5) * Taroflex (K.O.L. Taro Anastigmat) * Weha Chrome Six III New (K.O.L. Gojo, one example reported only) Notes Bibliography * Hagiya Takeshi (萩谷剛). "Raika to sekai no Raika-yō renzu" (ライカと世界のライカ用レンズ, Leica and other Leica-mount lenses). In Sekai no Raika renzu (世界のライカレンズ, Leica lenses of the world) Part 1. Tokyo: Shashinkogyo Syuppan-sha, 2003. ISBN 4-87956-061-8. Pp.178–88. (Contains a reproduction of an advertisement for K.O.L. lenses, and no other information on the company.) * Inoue, Mitsuo (井上光朗). "Shashin renzu no yoake. Renzu-ya Funsenki" (写真レンズの夜明け・レンズ屋奮戦記, Dawn of the photographic lens – Fierce war tales between lens shops). Pp.128–132. * * Nihon Shashin Kōgyō Tsūshin (日本写真興業通信). Hyaku-gō goto jūkai no kiroku (百号ごと十回の記録, Ten records, every hundred issues). Tokyo: Nihon Shashin Kōgyō Tsūshin Sha (日本写真興業通信社), 1967. No ISBN number. Advertisement on p.64, corresponding to the second cover of the February 15, 1944 issue. Links In Japanese: * Kōgaku Seiki's Nippon camera, a page by Akiyama Michio at the Nikon Kenkyukai Tokyo website, showing a K.O.L. Xebec 5cm f/2 Category: Japanese lens makers